COLUMN: Hard work pays off

Published: Saturday, January 5, 2013 at 07:15 PM.

Realistically, Beyer should be one of those players that enters the game in the final moments of a blow out.

Instead, he is becoming a key component for the Hokies, and is playing in one of the premiere basketball conferences – the Atlantic Coast Conference.

He is defying the odds.

Beyer began the season as a preferred walk-on – meaning he was offered a spot on Virginia Tech’s roster. He didn’t know what he role was going to be.

“As of right now, I am mainly a practice guy, helping out with the drills and stuff,” Beyer said prior to the season. “Technically, I guess you could put me as their third-string four-man (power forward). There are two guys that are ahead of me at my position.”

I recently spent 10 days in Ohio for Christmas and New Years. Yes, I forgot what it was like to drive in snow.

On Saturday, Dec. 29, the Virginia Tech Hokies were playing a non-conference basketball game against BYU in Salt Lake City, Utah. The game was being televised nationally on ESPNU.

Beyer, a 6-foot-7 forward and a New Bern High graduate, strutted on the court in the early moments. He scored the game’s first basket.

Later in the first half, Beyer tipped the ball back for two of his nine points. He grabbed seven rebounds in the first half and finished with a team-high 11 boards in 23 minutes.

Beyer then preceded to grab seven rebounds and scored six points in 15 minutes in Virginia Tech’s 94-71 loss to Maryland.

On two occasions, Beyer snagged at least nine rebounds.

He’s not even on scholarship.

Realistically, Beyer should be one of those players that enters the game in the final moments of a blow out.

Instead, he is becoming a key component for the Hokies, and is playing in one of the premiere basketball conferences – the Atlantic Coast Conference.

He is defying the odds.

Beyer began the season as a preferred walk-on – meaning he was offered a spot on Virginia Tech’s roster. He didn’t know what he role was going to be.

“As of right now, I am mainly a practice guy, helping out with the drills and stuff,” Beyer said prior to the season. “Technically, I guess you could put me as their third-string four-man (power forward). There are two guys that are ahead of me at my position.”

After impressing in practice, Beyer is playing crucial minutes for the school he’s wanted to attend since he was a youth.

It shows that hard work can be rewarded. It’s a story that should be told to aspiring college basketball players.

It’s also a sign that basketball is improving in the area.

For as long as I have lived in New Bern, Craven County has been consistently prolific in football and wrestling.

Basketball, in a basketball state, hasn’t been as dominant. It may have to do with the tougher competition in the sport across the state.

But it’s getting better.

In 2008, the Pamlico Hurricanes reached the 1-A state championship game. Then they had Shane Whitfield, a Lehigh University commit, who transferred to Word of God in Raleigh.

Jones Senior had a talented squad a few years back with Thomas Fryar, and Covair Frost. The Trojans made deep runs in the playoffs.

New Bern’s had three coaches in five years. The Bears had Beyer, and Nathan Healy – a senior basketball player at Appalachian State.

Havelock coach Bill Fryczynski has had good teams, but his Rams have only gotten as high as the third seed in the conference.

West Craven made its deepest run in the postseason last year by advancing to the state regionals.

This season, New Bern doesn’t have a senior, but continues to get better. Havelock and West Craven will be fighting for a Coastal Conference title. Pamlico has a bunch of talented players, and three Jones Senior players scored at least 20 points in a win over Lejeune Friday.